Volume 30 – Issued September 2, 2021
It is strongly recommended that all individuals born in 2009 or earlier receive the full COVID-19 vaccine series as soon as possible. All individuals who have received their first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days ago can now get their second dose. Youth under 18 years of age must receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
For first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, appointments can be booked online, or by calling 705-360-4819 (Timmins) or 1-800-461-1818, or drop-in at any clinic to get vaccinated the same day. Appointments are required for all second COVID-19 vaccine doses. Visit the PHU vaccine webpage to find out when upcoming clinics are scheduled.
To protect individuals from COVID-19, and the Delta-driven fourth wave of the pandemic, the Government of Ontario is introducing a mandatory enhanced COVID-19 vaccine certificate which will come into effect on September 22, 2021. Ontarians born in 2009 or earlier will need to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination along with photo ID to enter higher-risk indoor businesses, public settings, and facilities, such as:
Vaccines provide the best protection against COVID-19 and the Delta variant. The COVID-19 vaccine certificates will slow the spread of the virus, keep people safe, protect the province’s hospital capacity, avoid lockdowns, keep schools safe and support businesses. Vaccination offers substantial protection against severe health outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Unvaccinated people have a 6 times higher risk of COVID-19 infection with symptoms, a 30 times higher risk of being hospitalized, and a 48 times higher risk of being in the ICU compared to fully vaccinated people
Vaccine receipts are available in PDF form and may be printed or downloaded to your computer, phone, or tablet from the Ontario booking portal, or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900. Individuals who received the COVID-19 vaccine out of province should contact the Porcupine Health Unit to record their information and receive proper documentation. The province of Ontario will develop and implement an enhanced vaccine certificate with unique QR code and accompanying verification app that will allow users to securely and safely verify their vaccination status when scanned. This could be stored on a mobile device. The enhanced vaccine certificate, as well as a verification app to allow businesses to read the QR code, will be available beginning October 22, 2021.
Call with any inquiries about COVID-19. If you or a loved one are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but are experiencing barriers to accessing the vaccine clinics and need support, call the health unit.
Timmins: 705-360-4819 Toll free: 1-800-461-1818